Strengthening Democracy: The BIPOC & Faith Vote!
Foundation for a Path Forward takes a non-partisan, grassroots mindset to increase civic engagement of BIPOC and Faith communities through engagement, outreach and education.
In any given election, it is critical that BIPOC Canadians and Canadians of Faith make their voice heard by voting. When we vote, not only do we improve the likelihood that our elected officials and policymakers will reflect our needs and concerns in their decision-making, but we also strengthen Canadian democracy by ensuring that the final outcome is a truer reflection of Canadian society.
The Canadian Muslim Vote
WHAT ARE YOUR REPRESENTATIVES RESPONSIBLE FOR?
In Canada, there are three levels of government. Each level of government has different responsibilities for issues that affect Canadians.
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The Federal government is responsible for national issues including, but not limited to, citizenship and immigration, national security, and foreign affairs.
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Provincial and territorial governments are responsible for things that more closely impact our day-to-day lives, including healthcare, education, and other essential infrastructure such as broadband, public transportation. and highways.
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Municipal (city) and other “local” governments are responsible for local matters, such as firefighting, police, street lighting, noise and nuisance control, local planning, and sometimes city-level transportation systems.
WHERE DO FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES FIT IN CANADA’S GOVERNMENT?
Canada's national (Federal) government comprises: the Queen, the Senate and the House of Commons. The Queen has a largely symbolic role and is represented by the Governor-General. Members of the Senate are appointed by the Prime Minister and while important, their work is confined to reviewing the work of the House of Commons.
WHAT DO FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES DO?
Federal representatives become Members of Parliament (MPs) and “sit” in the House of Commons.
MPs devote most of their time to debating and voting on “bills” which are draft laws. MPs participate in the drafting and debating of new laws and amendments to existing ones. MPs are also expected to represent their constituents' views, discuss national issues and call on the government to explain its actions (also known as Question Period).
To meet their constituents’ needs, MPs have an office in Ottawa and one or more in their riding or constituency. Their offices are often the first stop for people who need help. Members can help constituents with questions about immigration visas, pension benefits, income tax —or anything that is the business of the Federal government. Members and their staff are good resources because they understand how Federal departments are organized and where to find answers
HOW DOES THE VOTING SYSTEM WORK FOR FEDERAL MPS?
To become an MP you must first run in a Federal election, which is held about every four years. In each of the country's 338 constituencies, or ridings, the candidate who gets the most votes is elected to the House of Commons.
This means that in the upcoming election, a political party must win 170 seats in the House of Commons to form a majority government. MPs who are not members of the majority party sit and work in the House of Commons in just the same way as MPs who are.
Seats in the House of Commons are distributed by the population of each province and territory. In general, the more people in a province or territory, the more Members it has in the House of Commons.
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE PRIME MINISTER?
The Prime Minister is the head of government in Canada. The Prime Minister is the leader of the political party with the most elected seats in the House of Commons. The Prime Minister appoints an “inner-circle” called the Cabinet who will lead and manage the various government departments (e.g., Defence, Immigration, Foreign Affairs).
WHICH POLITICAL PARTIES ARE REPRESENTED IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS?
There are currently six political parties represented in the House of Commons (see the chart below).
A political party must have 12 elected members in order to have official party status. This recognition makes a political party eligible for certain funding privileges and able to ask questions during Question Period. The three political parties with official party status are:
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The Liberal Party of Canada (the current governing or majority party)
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The Conservative Party of Canada (the official opposition)
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The New Democratic Party
In Partnership with the Canadian Muslim Vote, Foundation for a Path Forward has distributed 7000 flyers, 50 posters, and stand up banners to:
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1000 flyers & 6 posters BCMA Surrey Al Jamia Masjid, Surrey, BC
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500 flyers & 2 posters Masjid Al Noor, Surrey, BC
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150 Flyers 2 posters - Masjid Al Huda, Surrey, BC
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400 flyers BCMA Masjid Ar Rahman - Surrey, BC
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300 flyers and 2 posters - Abu Bakr Masjid, Surrey, BC
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150 flyers and 2 posters Fiji Islamic Ctr, Surrey, BC
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500 flyers and 2 posters Guildford Islamic Ctr, Surrey, BC
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150 Flyers and 2 posters Fleetwood Islamic Ctr, Surrey, BC
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150 flyers and 1 poster - Amir Hamza Musalla, Surrey/Delta, BC
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800 flyers & 8 posters BCMA Richmond Al Jamia Masjid, Richmond, BC
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300 flyers & 2 posters BCMA Abbotsford Masjid, Abbotsford, BC
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300 flyers & 3 posters - Masjid Al Hidyah - Port Coquitlam, BC
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150 flyers & 3 posters New Westminster Islamic Ctr, New Westminster, BC
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400 flyers - BCMA Masjid Al Salam - Burnaby, Bc
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100 flyers- Metrotown Islamic Ctr - Burnaby, BC
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300 flyers and 4 posters MAC Vancouver, Vancouver, Bc
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200 flyers and 2 posters - BCMA Masjid Al Haqq - Vancouver, Bc
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300 flyers and 3 posters - Ajyal Center - downtown Vancouver, BC
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100 flyers 2 posters - Marpole Islamic Ctr - Vancouver, BC
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100 flyers & 2 posters - Al Arqam Foundation Islamic Ctr - Vancouver, BC
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100 flyers & 2 posters - Vancouver Al Jamia Masjid, Vancouver, BC
Special Thanks to our friends Dawood Rai at Digigraphics and Hassan Sheikh at Islamic Relief Canada.
